Advice for millennial renters

Students and young professionals are most likely not able to own their first property just yet, which is why many choose to rent for the time being. Although renting an apartment may not be as big of a commitment as buying a place, it is still important to choose the right place to live. Choosing the wrong place to live in can make a great impact on your satisfaction of living in the city.

Very few letting agents and landlords provide guidance for you to refer to when you are visiting rental properties. To avoid the mistake of choosing the wrong place to live in, here is a checklist of things you might want to keep in mind before and during your first visit to the property.

Utilities and necessities

Make sure you check the utilities and other necessities that are available within the flat. Students and young professionals generally prefer a furnished property over an unfurnished property. This means that you will be provided with a bed, a wardrobe and other necessary amenities, like a washing machine or a refrigerator. This will not only save costs, it will also be easy for you to move in straight away.

There are other amenities that you may want to ask about, like gas, electricity, water and broadband. Some landlord and agencies offer an all inclusive package, which means you only pay once and others will only charge you for the rent and all other bills will be sorted by yourself or shared amongst other tenants.

Take Pictures and Read your contract

While you are looking around, take note of the things that need fixing within the property and request for it to be repaired before moving in. Upon moving in, remember to read the contract to see if you have been provided with all the things listed on the inventory list. To further protect yourself from being charged with unnecessary costs when your tenancy ends, take pictures of the property to keep evidence of how the property was before you moved in. If something was already missing, you wouldn’t have to have it deducted from your deposit.

Home Insurance

You want to make sure that your possessions are safe and this will give you a piece of mind. There are many reasons to get insurance for the property you are staying in, some reasons include it being an accident or an act of thievery. This is just an extra protection for your belongings and reduce the cost of losses in the case of an unexpected event. If you are unsure of what kind of insurance to get, make sure you contact experts like Homelet (see: homelet.co.uk/tenants), they will provide you with insights on what you need and what your landlord’s insurance will cover you for.

Deposit Protected

Ensure that your deposit is protected by requesting proof that your deposit is under a protected scheme. This not only protects you but also the landlord. It guarantees that if you have met the terms of the tenancy agreement, that you will get the full deposit back. If they do not do this they are actually breaking the law. Under normal circumstances, you should receive an email from the deposit scheme upon moving in, and receive the deposit back within 30 days of you moving out.

Personalising your space

Although drastic changes are generally not preferred by landlords and agencies, it does not mean that you can’t too personalise your personal space. The room may look unhomely and empty before you move in, but there are many ways you can fix that. Even with low budgets you will be able to by lovely home decor from stores and even create DIY projects. Whether it is a few small plants or some photographs, your room will look more homely with just a few simple tweaks.

It may seem like a big responsibility especially if this is your first ever rental property, however with the right guidance like this and experts from Homelet you can reach out to, you are all ready to set yourself in your new place for a new journey.

Do you rent? And if so what other advice would you give to those who are looking to rent their first place?